Someone catch me, I'm falling
by angelmariecloud
Summary: Set in an au. Rated for graphic violence. My take on how they met.
1. Chapter 1

All the Reasons You'll Never Know

Disclaimer: Not mine, unfortunately… or I'd be rolling in the dough.

_AN: Got to thinking about this since I'm stuck on the top of a mountain in Villalba, PR. I have nothing better to do up here in the boonies._

Makarov had been watching for a month. He was the only child it seemed. President Carlton Sanderson of the United States of America had one child, and that was a black, curly haired, tawny eyed and delicate featured boy named Gary. Gary was small, standing at five eight and lean and looked older than a mere fifteen. The President was a single father too, on account that Gary's mother died in a car accident when the boy was ten. Gary had taken the death of his mother hard, especially considering that he was in the car with her at the time. Gary was a good kid, or at least he tried to be. It was thus he met one Simon Riley.

"God I hate this job."

"What?" Gary asked. He looked up at the tall man. He had a pleasant enough face, minus the scowl. He had brown hair and brown eyes and angular features. Gary's father had hired Riley as extra protection for Gary, and the out of work soldier took the job on account of the bills piling up. It wasn't that he didn't trust the secret service with his son, President Sanderson explained when Riley asked, it was that the young teen seemed to be a trouble magnet and his heart of gold made his especially vulnerable to predators. This morning he was not in the best of moods. Gary had snuck out of the house and picked up by the police and returned to his father directly. Needless to say, President Sanderson was not a happy man. He was picking Gary up from school now. "Tough day?"

"Very. Snuck out again last night, didn't you?"

Gary looked at his feet.

"I can explain."

"By all means, please do."

"A friend of mine called me."

"And you thought that it'd be funny to fuck around with my and three others jobs?"

"I didn't mean to get anyone in trouble. She really was in trouble."

Riley shook his head.

"Who?"

"Do you remember Clarissa?"

"The homeless woman that you insisted on giving money to, even though she reeked of booze?"

"The same."

"What the bloody hell happened?"

"I didn't tell you at the time, but I gave her my cell number."

Riley exhaled sharply. He watched Gary through the rearview mirror.

"Why on earth would you do something so foolish?"

"She kinda reminded me of mom." Gary said quietly. Riley had been watching over Gary for a week when he met the slightly crazed woman. Gary had seemed to taken a liking to Riley, much to the man's horror. Riley was driving, and Gary was in the back, nothing unusual about that. When he stopped at the red light, and Gary saw the woman begging for money. Without even thinking, Gary had his seatbelt off and was out of the car before the light changed. Riley had to jump out of the car after him.

"Here, take this, I know it's not much but every little bit counts." Gary said, he handed her a ten dollar bill.

"Oh bless you angel! You gave old Clarissa a day's worth of eats."

Riley intervened when she tried to hug Gary for his charity. He didn't want the boy to catch whatever diseases the woman was most likely carrying and in his mind, it looked like she was carrying mange or about a million diseases.

"Yes, very generous of you, lad." Riley said. He didn't want to give Gary's identity to anyone. "Now, let's go. You have a lot of homework, no doubt."

"Hang on just a second. Is there anything else I can do for you Clarissa?"

The filth and grim covered woman beamed.

"Your son has a heart of gold. You must be so proud of him."

"He's not my father." Gary said. Riley's eyes widened at the Clarissa's words and said at the same moment as Gary.

"He's not my son."

Clarissa chuckled, almost as if to herself.

"My mistake, my mistake. But old Clarissa knows family affection a mile away." Riley rolled his eyes. This woman was obviously off her rocker. Gary grinned at her.

"Not exactly, but he's like a member of the family."

"That's enough out of you, lad. Your father is waiting."

Gary gave a sad smile.

"Bye Clarissa. I hope things get better for you." Riley grabbed Gary by the upper arm and dragged the recalcitrant teen back to the car. He was glad that they were using the unmarked car today. He could only imagine the media circus a scene like this would cause. He learned a very valuable lesson, child safety locks just before picking the boy up.

Riley shook his head again.

"What did she need this time?" He asked Gary, perhaps a little too harshly. The boy stiffened and looked hurt. If there was one thing that Gary lacked, aside from common sense, it was a thicker skin, the boy was always more prone to emotional hurt over the smallest of things. "I'm not angry with you Gary, I just want to understand." It was a work in progress but the battle hardened soldier, who was used to giving orders, having them obeyed and not having to care about the welfare of a child was actually learning how to speak to them.

"She really was in trouble." Gary said quietly. "You should see the condition of the shelter she's in. She's trying to get cleaned up and a job but nobody wants to hire her. At least she's not drinking anymore and she hasn't done drugs in over four months. But there was a guy bothering her at the shelter. And I went to see if maybe if I talk to him, he'd leave her alone. You always tell me to be brave for those who need it and Simon, she needs it."

They stopped at a red light. Riley broke one of the rules he'd set for himself and turned to face Gary.

"Gary, you should have told me. Your father ripped me to shreds because of where you went. What happened with the police?"

"The man who runs the shelter called them. I wasn't arrested cause I never laid a hand on the man. I just felt so bad for all those people there and I was trying to help."

Riley stared at Gary, stunned.

"That where you got the bruise?"

"Yeah."

"Oh lad, your heart was in the right place, but not so much your head. Next time, tell me when you decide to try to be chivalrous, all right?"

Gary smiled at Riley. Then his eyes widened in terror. The last thing Riley remembered clearly was Gary screaming the word no and the sharp, loud pop of a magnum being fired. Gary was hit with a spray of blood and the bullet grazed his arm. For a moment, he was too stunned to move, staring at the body of the man that was slumped over. Gary struggled against the man who opened the door to grab him, kicking him hard enough to send him sprawling on the concrete of the sidewalk. He tried to open the door but when he pulled the handle, nothing happened. The man got up and forcibly dragged Gary from the car.

"No!" Gary hollered, fighting with every ounce of strength he possessed. "Simon! Get up, please!" He was clinging to the blood drenched driver's seat for all he was worth. It was short lived as his fingers slide and the two, kidnapper and kidnapee tumbled to the sidewalk.

It was then that Gary saw that there was another man as well, in comparison to the man manhandling him, the other was tall, and wiry, obviously the brains. Gary went for the cheap shot and kicked him in the groin. When the arms around him loosened, he bolted. He could hear the wiry man yelling.

"Anatoly, get up and grab him."

"No time, Makarov." Anatoly said. Gary heard a higher pitched crack and then a sharp pain on his back. He stumbled, feeling oddly heavy limbed. He fell flat on his face. He began to crawl, desperate to get away. Anatoly sauntered over and pulled out a dart from Gary's back. He waved it in front of the half sedated teen. "This is going to make you more cooperative, boy."

Gary began to sob.

"No… S-Simon…"

"Don't worry about him, he's quite dead." Makarov said. "Rather quick too, all because he broke his cardinal rule." Gary sobbed harder, too drugged to do much else.

"No..." He cried. He tried to move but his limbs wouldn't obey him. His last though before the sedative rendered him completely unconscious was that his friend was dead, and it was all his fault.

Anatoly tied Gary's hands together at the wrist as soon as the tawny eyes slid shut. The he tied his legs at the ankle in a similar manner. Once he was sure that Gary could not escape, he lifted him, put him over his shoulder like a sack of rice and carried him to the van.

"Now we need to get President Sanderson's attention." Makarov said, once they got him into the van. Gary was still unconscious when they reached the small airport. And when they loaded him onto the small aircraft, he was beginning to come out of it. Anatoly injected him with the sedative again and Gary went back to sleep.

It was a long day for them, and by the time they reached the safe-house both men were tired. They would leave in the morning for the second safe house where they would be holding Gary.

**AN: Well, what do you think? Should I continue? Or does it suck?**


	2. Chapter 2

Drastic Measures

Makarov and Anatoly drove for four hours before they reached their destination. It was a small house in the middle of rural area surrounded by dense wood. As they got there, Gary was beginning to come out of his heavily sedated state.

"Wha? Gary said. "Simon?" His brain hadn't caught up to him yet. Gary found it hard to move, then it hit him, Simon Riley was dead and he was in the hands of vicious kidnappers. He tried to move but found that his hands were tied tightly.

"He's awake," Anatoly remarked. "Behave now boy or you'll regret it."

Gary knew struggling at this point was foolish, but he did anyway. Anatoly swore up a blue streak in Russian. What should have taken them ten minutes, took them twenty minutes.

"Scream all you want boy, there is no one around for miles."

He shoved Gary onto the dirty and filthy couch. Gary grunted, winded. He was left alone while Makarov and Anatoly left to set up the ransom video. Gary was manhandled into a chair and tied to it; the chair was in front of small camera on a tri-pod.

"I'm going to turn this on, and you are going to talk as if you are talking to your father."

"I'm not helping your murdering ass with anything."

Makarov chuckled.

"Brave but foolish boy. Do you enjoy enraging those who are more powerful than you?"

"You murdered him. God punishes murderers."

"Perhaps boy, but until then, you'd better behave yourself."

"I'm not afraid of you."

Makarov flicked on the camera.

"Talk to your father Gary." He said. Gary glared at the man, unwilling to say anything. Gary was not going to cooperate with this madman. Makarov turned the camera to face himself. "He's stubborn, but if you desire to see him alive again, you'll do everything I say."

"Don't listen to him dad! Don't put yourself above everyone else!"

"Anatoly shut him up."

Anatoly grabbed a large sack from the small table. Gary's eyes turned as wide as saucers. He thrashed against the chair as the large man approached him.

"No!" He cried out. "Don't!" He cried out in terror when it was put over his head. He fought with the chair and thrashed.

Gary's father watched the video in horror, Makarov laid down his terms. The surrender of the United States to the Ultranationalist group of Russia. No attempts at rescue from his soldiers. As the man stated his terms, he could hear Gary crying in the background. He turned to one of his advisors, his eyes wide with terror for his child.

"Now what?" He asked. He knew he couldn't surrender the entire country for the sake of his son but my god, what was going to happen to him?

"Sir, we can call in General Shepherd. He's been trying to form a group of elite soldiers to get rid of the Ultranationalists."

"Call him in. And give him permission to recruit whoever is needed. How is Riley doing?"

"He's in critical condition but he's fighting." His secretary said. "Doctors say he might make a full recovery."

It took Shepherd all but a week to track down one Lieutenant John MacTavish. The man was training some new recruits when Shepherd finally caught up to him.

"Lieutenant MacTavish."

"Welcome sir. What cannae do for you?"

"President Sanderson sent me to find you. We need your help."

It took another two weeks for Shepherd to gather all of the men he wanted and needed. When they were all gathered, he briefed them. He clicked a button and a picture popped up on the screen.

"This is Gary Sanderson; he's the President's son. Three weeks ago, he was taken into custody by Makarov, the leader of the Ultranationalists." He changed the picture to the bloodstained car where the abduction took place. "His escort was shot but he was not killed. Makarov is giving President Sanderson until the end of the week to give his answer. If not, Gary dies."

MacTavish stared at the picture. Gary was so young. Shepherd played the ransom video.

"Turn that off." Price said, after a moment of listening to Gary begging them to take the sack off his head and let him go home. "I'm in. When do we get the lad home to his father?"

"You leave tonight gentlemen. This is voluntary; you don't have to go if you do not want to."

"I'm in." MacTavish said.

Four hours later, they paraglided into the forest behind the house.

"He still hasn't answered." Makarov was telling Gary. Gary shrunk away from the deranged man. In the time they'd had him, he'd been beaten more times than he could count, verbally abused and denied water or food for several days, alternating with that horrible black sack that blinded him and terrified him. He was thinner from lack of nutrition and his face was a mass collection of bruises. "Maybe I should send him a finger so that he knows that I'm serious."

Gary scrambled backwards. His back hitting the wall when he could go no further. His tawny eyes wide with horror.

"N-no!" He stammered. Makarov approached him slowly, flicking out a knife. Before Makarov could make good on his threat there was the sound of a firefight outside the door. He grabbed Gary and forced him onto his back. The he forced the knife into the soft flesh of Gary's stomach. Gary tried to scream but found that he couldn't even draw breath. Makarov grinned wickedly.

"By the time they find you, it will be too late." Makarov said. Gary whined and shook his head.

"Please, don't!" He begged

Makarov dragged the knife down Gary's stomach, past his navel, widening the injury. Gary choked on a cry. When he yanked it out, Gary arched against the pain. It was this horrifying scene that MacTavish and Price walked in on.

"Welcome gentlemen."

"Help me." Gary gasped; blood was beginning to froth on his lips. "Please."

Makarov's smile was cruel.

"Move and I'll slit his throat." He told the two horrified men. Gary sobbed from his spot on the floor.

"It'll be all right lad." MacTavish said, "Drop the knife and step away from the child!"

Gary continued to beg for his life, Price felt badly for the teen.

"Let him go Makarov. There's nowhere to go and you're surrounded. Don't be a fool!"

"Please…I wanna go home…I don't wanna die."

Makarov dug the knife into the already grave injury. Gary whined and his fingers clawed at the flooring. MacTavish didn't hesitate a moment longer, he fired a single shot and Makarov slumped over the frightened and hurt child. Gary cried out and nearly passed out. Price was already in motion and rolled Makarov off of Gary.

"It's all right now lad. Just stay with me. Keep your eyes open." Price soothed. He broke eye contact with Gary. "Medic!"

MacTavish was securing Makarov with zip ties. The man hadn't died but he wasn't about to let him escape. Nor was he willing to be kind to the deranged man. That done, he joined Price at Gary's side. Price was trying to convince Gary to allow him to remove the knife.

"It's all right lad." MacTavish said. "I know you're frightened. But we have to take that thing out from your body, the sooner we do the better for you."

"N-no a!"

Price gripped Gary's hand that was clenched against the flooring.

"Gary, I know it hurts." He said as gently as possible. "But if it stays inside it will hurt worse. Soap, when I give the word."

"Nnn…" Gary moaned. He was starting to slip.

"I've got you lad. It's going to be all right."

Price held Gary in a tight grip and nodded to MacTavish. Taking as much care as possible, MacTavish slowly withdrew the blade. It looked rusted to all hell and he didn't want to chance it breaking. There was a metallic snap and the handle left with MacTavish's hand. Gary's eyes widened in panic and MacTavish felt a brief moment of it. Then he focused his attention on Gary.

"Shh… It's all right. I'll get it out."

He left them briefly and nearly bowled over another soldier who stood watching the scene in horror. MacTavish reached the small toolbox he'd seen on the way in and opened it. He grabbed the pair of pliers and raced back up the stairs. Where were the medics? He wondered as he dropped next to a now blood covered Price and Gary. He pulled out his own knife and Price had to hold Gary when he panicked.

"He's not going to hurt you lad. We just have to see." Price whispered.

"You!" MacTavish barked at a soldier, the younger man jumped. "Get in here and when this knife comes out you put pressure on the wound."

MacTavish cut away Gary's blood drenched shirt and pulled out his canteen, pouring fresh water to try to get a better view. There was a small piece of what was left of the knife protruding. He gripped it with the pliers and pulled it free. It came free with a sickening squelching sound. The other soldier pressed down as hard as he was able without hurting Gary further.

The medic nearly had an attack when he got to Gary.

"You idiots!" He said. Gary was still awake, he was pallid and shaking. "It's okay kid." The medic talked to Gary as he provided emergency care. "We're just gonna wrap this up, okay? Lay him flat." He said to Price.

Gary gasped breathlessly when the medic began wrapping the large slash. He lost consciousness midway through. "Damn assholes who did this to the kid." The medic mumbled. "What kind of monster tortures a child? I've done what I can for him. He needs to get to a hospital immediately and then he needs to stay there. Who pulled out the blade?"

"I did. It was bloody rusted and broke off in his body."

"That was probably the only smart thing you did."

Gary woke up midflight, an hour later.

"Don't move." MacTavish said quietly. "We're flying at several hundred feet. It's a long way down."

"Am I going home?"

"Yes, we're taking you home. Get some rest, lad."

Gary's face crumpled in sorrow. MacTavish sighed.

"Someone very close to called you that?"

"He was hired by my father as extra protection. But he was my friend." Gary said quietly. His fingers tightened on the blanket put over him to help stave off the shock. He didn't seem to be aware that it was even on him. "But he's dead and it's all my fault. If he hadn't been looking at me, he'd still be alive. He could have seen that man that shot him."

Gary began sobbing, but was too weak from starvation and blood loss to keep it up for long. MacTavish wasn't sure how to soothe Gary. He gripped Gary's hand in his.

"It's not your fault, Gary."

"But it is!" Gary cried. MacTavish felt sorry for the boy. After everything he'd been through, he still had so much left to go through. Price had told him to go with Gary, and he would wait for the second transport with Makarov and Anatoly.

"No it isn't Gary." He said. "You're just a lad, there was no way you could have known what was going to happen."

"He's still dead. He was my friend."

MacTavish tried to soothe Gary.

"Gary, let me tell about the time…" He managed to keep Gary distracted by telling him the story of when he was a rookie. He was in the Royal Air Service, stationed somewhere in the middle of the desert. The incident he was telling him about was during a training exercise.

"You got knocked out?" Gary asked.

"More like bludgeoned by the sergeant. Needless to say, I woke up three days later, in hospice."

"Did everyone get mad at you?"

"No, they all pissed on me for weeks after that."

"They what?"

"Made fun of, teased. I forget that you're American."

"Oh…" Gary blinked groggily.

"You must have an iron will, but you really should be resting."

"Don't leave me." Gary said.

"I'll stay as long as I am able to."

"Thanks. You're a good man, Lieutenant MacTavish. I hope I'll get to see you when we get there."

Gary was asleep before MacTavish could respond. The medic grinned.

"You've got a way with kids."

"Poor lad. What did that bastard do to him?"

"We got him out in time. We should be grateful that he's still breathing and such. Recovery will be a bit slow but I think he'll bounce right back. Kids are more resilient than we give them credit for."

**AN: Hey everyone. It's been such a week of misadventures for me. And it's done nothing but rain since Tuesday. It's laughable now, but I was not happy all week. The house was so gross! Mold and mildew everywhere. I looked like the robot from Wall-E, the little one that was constantly cleaning. Anyway, please review. I'm so bored up here with all the rain.**


	3. Chapter 3

How could this happen to me?

When the chopper touched down sometime later, Carlton was waiting. When he saw Gary he rushed forward. MacTavish shooed him away.

"Mr. Sanderson, your son needs medical attention. Unless you want to kill him." Carlton gasped. MacTavish helped load Gary onto the waiting gurney. Gary was deathly white. Carlton trailed behind, stunned and horrified. The doctors took him in immediately.

They had him for four hours. MacTavish waited for news with Carlton.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you. I didn't want to delay with his injuries."

"What are his injuries?"

MacTavish sighed.

"From the looks of it, he was beaten. Then that bastard tried to eviscerate him. Gary has an iron will."

"What's taking so long?"

"They have a large gap to sew shut."

"You're different than most soldiers I've met. You don't hold back."

"Sorry about that, sir."

"Don't be. I prefer honesty."

The doctor came to discuss Gary's injuries. Gary had suffered a great deal. Apart from a mild concussion, no doubt received during a fierce beating, his cheek and collar bones had been broken, the ring finger of his left hand was badly dislocated, and the attempted evisceration and then stabbing had disrupted many of his organs. His diaphragm and intestines needed surgical repair. Several of his ribs were bruised and two were broken. The massive amount of blood loss forced them to give him two blood transfusions and he was on a powerful drug cocktail. Hydromorphone for the pain, cephalaxin as his broad spectrum anti-biotic he was allergic to penicillin after all, and warfarin to keep his blood from clotting. He was also being given paternal nutrition, which meant he had a thin tube feeding him as he couldn't have anything solid. His recovery would take a long time and it would be difficult, the doctor explained. Gary would be bedridden long enough to have to relearn how to walk.

For Riley, things were finally looking better. Despite the gunshot wound to his head, the man was awake and talking. His memories were intact but his speech and motor functions were a bit muddled. They were improving with the intensive therapy he was receiving; President Sanderson was making sure of that. Riley confounded the doctors by recovering so quickly.

"Good morning Mr. Riley. How are you today?"

"Gary, where Gary?"

"He's recovering nicely. Still asleep, the poor thing." The nurse said, shaking her head. Gary had been under since he'd been brought in, almost a week ago.

Riley's head had been shaven in the life saving operation. He still wore the compression bandages on his head. He was getting frustrated with himself, unable to communicate the simplest of sentences. He wanted to see Gary, but he couldn't tell them that. He needed to see him with his own eyes to confirm that he was still breathing.

**AN: Sorry about this one being so short but I'd rather two short ones than combine them.**


	4. Chapter 4

How Time Does Fly

Gary shook his head when General Shepherd of all people asked him to join Task Force 141. He was eighteen now, and the heroics of the men who'd rescued him, inspired him to do the same for others. He entered the Air Force on his birthday, which was just after high school graduation. Shepherd remembered him apparently, and asked him if he'd be willing to join up. Gary's specialty? Intelligence or at least the gathering of said intelligence. He was a hacker, put simply; all that time in bed had forced him to learn new things. He hadn't seen Riley since his release from the hospital.

"Hey, FNG!" Another soldier called. Gary rolled his eyes but refrained from retorting, seeing as he outranked him. "You must be AFC Sanderson. I'm Corporal Higgins. You call me Meat. The Captain asked me to make sure you settle in before you see him."

Gary followed Meat through the base.

"Where did you get the nickname, sir?"

"It's my call sign. We each have one here in the 141. As for the nickname, the Captain gave it to me, after someone soaked my underwear in meat. Needless to say, it was not pretty. Every guard dog for ten miles chased me throughout the base."

Gary bit his lip, trying not to laugh. "It's okay to laugh kid. Everyone did for a week. These are the barracks, you'll be bunking with Ghost, he's out on assignment but he'll be back by tonight."

"Ghost?" Gary echoed.

"Our First Lieutenant, he's actually kinda chatty if you ask me. That mask he likes wearing still creeps me out."

"Mask?"

"It's more like a balaclava. It's got a skull on it."

"Sounds morbid."

"He's nice though. Tough as hell too."

He opened the door and Gary could tell which side was occupied. He unpacked his meager belongings and organized them, Meat kept a running commentary throughout the entire ordeal. Gary shook his head and smiled.

"I like you Meat."

"Good, cause everyone says I talk too much. I'm the team's interpreter. I know fifteen languages."

"Holy shit. I barely passed French."

"Yeah, well it's okay. I can teach you a few; a hacker can always use that."

"We should probably see the Captain now."

Meat lead Gary to the Captain's office.

"It doesn't have his name."

"Yeah, someone stole it as a prank. He was not happy. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen him crack a smile."

"The Captain is a serious man then?" Gary asked. "It might be that he's just the solemn type, like Spock from Star Trek. You never saw him crack a smile either. Is the Captain in his office?"

"Not today or at least not for another hour. He's probably down at the firing range around this time of day, then he's at the office then it's off to the mess hall."

"You know his schedule pretty well."

"Yeah, well he's a stick to a routine kinda guy. I think he's a secret pyromaniac though. His plan B always consists of blowing shit up."

"Telling the new recruit all about me Corporal?" A very familiar voice said. Gary's eyes widened and he swung around. "I swear that if you scare off one more-Gary?"

"Hello again."

"You two know one another?"

"We met a long time ago. How have you been Captain?"

"Well as you can see. I thought I recognized the name, but there are so many men named Gary Sanderson. Come inside, I have some things for you to sign."

Meat was left standing there, mouth hanging open. He ran to the common room.

"Hey Meat, you terrorize the FNG yet?"

"You guys aren't gonna believe this. The new guy knows the Captain."

"Like they've met before?"

"No, like on a personal level, numbskull."

Gary sat down when offered a seat.

"It really is great seeing you again. I looked for you. I wanted to say thank you for saving my life. But you left without even saying good bye."

"I had to Gary. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter. I'm just glad to see that you're well."

"I am too lad."

"I should get going, you have a mountain of paperwork and I'm just distracting you."

Gary made his way back to the barracks just in time to hear someone shout.

"What the bloody hell is this? Who's shite is in my room?"

'_That must be Ghost'_

Gary walked to the door and peered in.

"I was told I was bunking with you, sir." Gary said. Ghost's back was to him.

"Who the bloody hell are you?"

"AFC Sanderson sir. I'll try not to bother you. I promise."

"Well, Sanderson I'll give you an hour to clear out your stuff. If you're still here, you'd better pray I'm in a good mood."

Gary knew the voice the instant Ghost spoke, but it seemed that Simon Riley didn't remember him. His voice hadn't changed that much had it? He bit his lip to keep from telling him. When Ghost turned around he froze.

"Gary?"

"I'll clear out of your room sir. I'm sorry; Meat has a sense of humor."

Ghost sighed.

"Wait."

"It's okay, really. Glad to see you alive and all. I'll ask the captain if there are any other rooms available."

Gary was already packing as he was speaking. It didn't take long before he was done and out the door. Ghost sighed again and shook his head. The first time he'd seen the boy in over three years and he managed to terrify him. He followed Gary's rapid retreat from the room all the way to MacTavish's office.

"Gary wait!"

MacTavish was coming out and raised an eyebrow.

"What's going on? I was under the impression you were already settled."

"Simple miscommunication."

**AN: Sorry it took so long to update. No internet up here in the boonies.**


End file.
